Talk about pressure. There are few villains in cinema as iconic as Darth Vader – recognisable from the briefest glimpse of his distinctive helmet, or the merest mechanical hiss of his respirator. So when Hayden Christensen signed on to play Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars prequels, he took on a formidable task: presenting the man behind the mask. Across Episode II – Attack Of The Clones and Episode III – Revenge Of The Sith, Christensen showed us how exactly how the galaxy’s brightest hope turned from the light and plunged into total darkness – and through that time, his own Star Wars experience was a mix of light and dark too. After weathering years of criticism, he’s now been wholeheartedly embraced by the fandom.
Speaking to Empire in a major new interview – and original photo shoot – for our 25th anniversary celebration of the prequel trilogy, Christensen opened up on his time in the galaxy far, far away. “It’s been a remarkable experience. And just a very heartwarming one,” he tells Empire. “The journey that I’ve been on with Star Wars over the last 20 plus years... it’s been a wild ride, and where we’re at now is really meaningful to me.” While the backlash against the prequels was difficult to take, he’s pleased to see how beloved all three films are today. “I think that those movies have held up well over time,” he says. “It feels like vindication for the work that we did. Everyone that worked on those movies thought that we were part of something special. We all wanted to do our very best work, and we cared a lot about it. And so to see the response from the fans now, it’s very cool.”
That response includes excitement from younger fans – who are always thrilled to meet the man who… well, murdered all the Jedi younglings in Revenge Of The Sith. “There was a lot of talk about us doing that scene, and I love that George did it. It was a bold move. And it’s shocking,” the actor says. “Kids seem to forget about that scene when they meet me! There’s not any fear or intimidation. They’re just excited to meet Anakin.”
Having ridden out the stormy reception to the prequels – and returned to the Star Wars galaxy in recent years for appearances in Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka – Christensen reflected on the advice that he would give to his younger self before stepping into Attack Of The Clones. “Even though I was a bit overwhelmed, I was also a confident young man, and I wanted to make my mark. But I guess if I were to have some advice for me during that general time in my life, it would be: ‘Patience’,” he decides. “Because my journey with the character and with Star Wars has at times been a bumpy one... but I’m in a good place with it now. And so that’s why I say patience.” In 2024, there’s undoubtedly balance to the Force.
Read Empire’s full Hayden Christensen interview – and see more images from the shoot – in the Star Wars prequels 25th anniversary issue. Also inside the magazine, we speak to Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Liam Neeson, Ian McDiarmid, Samuel L. Jackson, Brian Blessed, and more about starring in the films; we revisit iconic sequences with producer Rick McCallum, stunt co-ordinator Nick Gillard, and concept designer Iain McCaig, breaking down the Podrace, the Geonosis arena battle, and the Mustafar duel; we get a closer look at rarely-seen concept art from across the trilogy; we speak to designer Ellen Lee Moon on the story behind her legendary Phantom Menace poster, and much, much more. It’s the ultimate look back at the trilogy that changed everything.
Find the issue in all good and evil newsagents – from the core worlds to the outer rim – from Thursday 15 February. Pre-order the issue online – find the light side cover here, and the dark side cover here.